A spatial position x′ of each ultrasonic transducer is accurately obtained for each probe in consideration of each edge transducer gap, and a delay time T(x′(n)) and a weighting coefficient W(x′(n)) are calculated on the basis of the position of each ultrasonic transducer. A control unit executes ultrasonic transmission/reception by using the calculated delay times and weighting coefficients to realize a suitable acoustic field with high deflection angle accuracy, small sidelobes, and the like as compared with the prior art.
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1. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: an ultrasonic probe including a plurality of ultrasonic transducer blocks which are arranged along one predetermined direction and respectively include a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and including adhesive layers arranged between the plurality of ultrasonic transducer blocks and that bond the plurality of ultrasonic transducer blocks to each other; a transmission/reception processor configured to drive at least one of the transducers of the ultrasonic probe and perform beam-forming along a receiving direction by using echo signals received through a plurality of ultrasonic transducers in at least two of the ultrasonic transducer blocks, which plurality of ultrasonic transducers include an ultrasonic transducer adjacent to the at least one adhesive layer between the at least two ultrasonic transducer blocks; a setting processor configured to set weighting coefficients and delay times for echo signals as a transmission/reception condition; and a control processor configured to control the setting processor such that a weighting coefficient for an echo signal received through the ultrasonic transducer adjacent to the at least one adhesive layer is smaller than weighting coefficients for echo signals received through the ultrasonic transducers other than the ultrasonic transducer adjacent to the adhesive layer, and control the transmission/reception processor such that the beam-forming is performed by using weighting coefficients and delay times for the echo signals received through the plurality of ultrasonic transducers including the ultrasonic transducer adjacent to the at least one adhesive layer between the at least two ultrasonic transducer blocks.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus uses an ultrasonic probe with multiple transducer blocks arranged in a line, connected by adhesive layers. Each block has multiple transducers. The system drives some transducers to transmit and receives echoes with others, including those next to the adhesive. A processor adjusts delay times and weighting coefficients to optimize beamforming during reception. Critically, transducers near the adhesive get lower weighting coefficients than others. This compensates for signal distortion caused by the adhesive, improving image quality by reducing artifacts like sidelobes.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control processor determines at least one of a delay time for said each ultrasonic transducer in ultrasonic transmission, a delay time for said each ultrasonic transducer in ultrasonic reception, and the weighting coefficient for said echo signal which is used in addition processing of a received ultrasonic wave in accordance with a position of said each ultrasonic transducer block.
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus described previously determines the transmission/reception settings based on the position of each transducer block. These settings include the delay time for each transducer when transmitting ultrasound, the delay time for each transducer when receiving ultrasound, and a weighting coefficient that is applied during the summation of received ultrasonic waves. These parameters are adjusted to optimize the acoustic field based on the transducer positions within the probe.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control processor determines the delay times in ultrasonic reception and the weighting coefficients by predetermined calculation using positions of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers including the ultrasonic transducer adjacent to the at least one adhesive layer between the at least two ultrasonic transducer blocks.
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus described previously calculates the delay times used during ultrasonic reception and the weighting coefficients applied to the received signals using a predetermined formula. This calculation takes into account the positions of all the transducers, including those located adjacent to the adhesive layers between the transducer blocks. This calculation optimizes beamforming considering signal distortion from the adhesive.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control processor determines the delay times in ultrasonic reception and the weighting coefficient by using a table which associates a position of said each ultrasonic transducer with each delay time and each weighting coefficient.
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus described previously uses a lookup table to determine the delay times for ultrasonic reception and the weighting coefficients for received signals. This table stores pre-calculated delay and weighting values, associating each with the position of a specific ultrasonic transducer in the probe. The system references the table to quickly determine the optimal settings for each transducer during beamforming.
5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic probe comprises a two dimensional array probe including ultrasonic transducers arranged in the form of a matrix or a 1.5 dimensional array probe.
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus described previously can use either a two-dimensional array probe (where transducers are arranged in a matrix) or a 1.5-dimensional array probe. Both types of probes consist of multiple transducers arranged in a specific pattern to allow for more sophisticated beam steering and focusing capabilities.
6. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of ultrasonic transducer blocks are arranged in an array form along a predetermined direction, and said plurality of adhesive layers bond the ultrasonic transducers adjacent to each other in the predetermined direction.
In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus described previously, the ultrasonic transducer blocks are arranged in a linear array along a defined direction. The adhesive layers are used to bond the individual transducers together along this same direction, creating a cohesive probe structure.
7. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of ultrasonic transducer blocks are arranged in the form of a matrix along a first direction and a second direction, and said plurality of adhesive layers bond the ultrasonic transducers adjacent to each other along the first direction and the ultrasonic transducers adjacent to each other along the second direction.
In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus described previously, the ultrasonic transducer blocks are arranged in a matrix pattern along two directions (first and second). The adhesive layers bond the transducers that are adjacent to each other along both the first and second directions, creating a two-dimensional array structure.
8. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control processor determines the transmission/reception condition such that a contribution of the ultrasonic transducer bonded to the adhesive layer to a transmission ultrasonic wave and a reception ultrasonic wave is smaller than a contribution of the ultrasonic transducer which is not bonded to the adhesive layer to a transmission ultrasonic wave and a reception ultrasonic wave.
In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus described previously, the control processor optimizes the transmission/reception condition by minimizing the contribution of transducers bonded to adhesive layers compared to those that are not. This is done to both transmitted and received ultrasound signals. This adjustment compensates for signal degradation caused by the adhesive, improving image quality.
9. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control processor is configured to control the transmission/reception processor such that the beam-forming is performed by adding the echo signals using the delay times after weighting the echo signals using the weighting coefficients.
In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus described previously, the system performs beamforming by first weighting the echo signals using the weighting coefficients and then adding the weighted signals together after applying the appropriate delay times. This order of operations (weighting followed by delay and summation) is crucial for proper beamforming and image reconstruction.
10. An ultrasonic transmission/reception condition optimization method using an ultrasonic probe including a plurality of ultrasonic transducer blocks which are arranged along one predetermined direction and respectively include a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and including adhesive layers arranged between the plurality of ultrasonic transducer blocks and that bond the plurality of ultrasonic transducer blocks to each other, comprising: driving at least one of the ultrasonic transducers of the ultrasonic probe and performing beam-forming along a receiving direction by using echo signals received through a plurality of ultrasonic transducers in at least two of the ultrasonic transducer blocks, which plurality of ultrasonic transducers include an ultrasonic transducer adjacent to the at least one adhesive layer between the at least two ultrasonic transducer blocks; setting weighting coefficients and delay times for echo signals as a transmission reception condition; wherein a weighting coefficient for an echo signal received through the ultrasonic transducer adjacent to the at least one adhesive layer is smaller than weighting coefficients for echo signals received through the ultrasonic transducers other than the ultrasonic transducer adjacent to the adhesive layer; and further comprising performing the beam-forming by using weighting coefficients and delay times for the echo signals received through the plurality of ultrasonic transducers including the ultrasonic transducer adjacent to the at least one adhesive layer between the at least two ultrasonic transducer blocks.
An ultrasonic diagnostic method uses a probe with transducer blocks arranged linearly and connected by adhesive. It transmits ultrasound using some transducers and receives echoes with others, including those next to the adhesive. The method sets weighting coefficients and delay times for echo signals, giving lower weight to signals from transducers near the adhesive. It then performs beamforming using these adjusted signals. This reduces the impact of signal distortion from the adhesive, improving image quality.
11. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the transmission/reception condition includes at least one of a delay time for said each ultrasonic transducer in ultrasonic transmission, a delay time for said each ultrasonic transducer in ultrasonic reception, and the weighting coefficient for said each echo signal which is used in addition processing of received ultrasonic waves.
The ultrasonic transmission/reception optimization method described previously uses transmission/reception settings that include the delay time for each ultrasonic transducer during transmission, the delay time for each transducer during reception, and a weighting coefficient applied to each echo signal during summation. Adjusting any or all of these parameters is included in optimizing the image.
12. A method according to claim 10 , wherein in determining the transmission/reception condition, the delay times in ultrasonic reception and the weighting coefficients are determined by predetermined calculation using positions of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers including the ultrasonic transducer adjacent to the at least one adhesive layer between the at least two ultrasonic transducer blocks.
The ultrasonic transmission/reception optimization method described previously determines delay times for ultrasonic reception and weighting coefficients using a predetermined calculation that considers the positions of all transducers, including those adjacent to the adhesive layers between the blocks.
13. A method according to claim 10 , wherein in determining the transmission/reception condition, the delay times in ultrasonic reception and the weighting coefficients are determined by using a table which associates a position of said each ultrasonic transducer with each delay time and each weighting coefficient.
The ultrasonic transmission/reception optimization method described previously uses a lookup table to determine delay times for ultrasonic reception and weighting coefficients. The table links each transducer's position to its corresponding delay time and weighting coefficient.
14. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the ultrasonic probe comprises a two dimensional array probe including ultrasonic transducers arranged in the form of a matrix or a 1.5 dimensional array probe.
The ultrasonic transmission/reception optimization method described previously can use either a two-dimensional array probe (matrix arrangement) or a 1.5-dimensional array probe.
15. A method according to claim 10 , wherein said plurality of ultrasonic transducer blocks are arranged in an array form along a predetermined direction, and said plurality of adhesive layers bond the ultrasonic transducers adjacent to each other in the predetermined direction.
In the ultrasonic transmission/reception optimization method described previously, the ultrasonic transducer blocks are arranged linearly, and adhesive layers bond adjacent transducers along that direction.
16. A method according to claim 10 , wherein said plurality of ultrasonic transducer blocks are arranged in the form of matrix along a first direction and a second direction, and said plurality of adhesive layers bond the ultrasonic transducers adjacent to each other along the first direction and the ultrasonic transducers adjacent to each other along the second direction.
In the ultrasonic transmission/reception optimization method described previously, the ultrasonic transducer blocks are arranged in a matrix along first and second directions, with adhesive layers bonding adjacent transducers in both directions.
17. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the transmission/reception condition is determined such that a contribution of the ultrasonic transducer bonded to the adhesive layer to a transmission ultrasonic wave and a reception ultrasonic wave is smaller than a contribution of the ultrasonic transducer which is not bonded to the adhesive layer to a transmission ultrasonic wave and a reception ultrasonic wave.
In the ultrasonic transmission/reception optimization method described previously, the method minimizes the contribution of adhesive-bonded transducers to both transmitted and received signals, compared to those not bonded. This compensates for signal degradation caused by the adhesive.
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June 15, 2006
March 28, 2017
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